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Royals complete sweep, keep Twins sliding

May 2, 2011 - 12:02 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Ron Gardenhire and the Minnesota Twins were hoping a new month would offer them a fresh start.

Instead, as April turned to May, what they found was more of the same.

Mike Aviles had four RBI, including a three-run homer, and the Kansas City Royals banged out 15 hits for a 10-3 victory over Minnesota on Sunday, sweeping the Twins in a three-game series and handing them their season-high sixth straight loss.

It was Kansas City's first home sweep of the Twins since 1994.

"It feels good," said Royals left fielder Alex Gordon. "I've been here since '07 and I know it hasn't happened, so anytime it happens, it's good, especially against a good team like the Twins."

The Royals scored in five of their eight at-bats, beginning with Jeff Francoeur's solo homer off Carl Pavano (2-3) in the second inning and ending on Aviles' three-run blast against Dusty Hughes in the eighth.

Pavano lasted 5 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs -- six earned -- on 12 hits. He attacked a trash can with a bat after being yanked in the sixth inning.

"It [felt] unbelievable. I'd like go back and to do it right now again," said Pavano. "But it just happens. It wasn't pointed toward anyone on this team and I went in and told my manager it wasn't pointed toward you for taking me out. I deserved to get taken out. It was just my frustration boiling over."

Aviles went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Kansas City's offense backed a good-enough start by Luke Hochevar (3-3), who surrendered three runs on five hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings to earn the win.

He was pulled after giving up a triple to Alexi Casilla, who scored on a ground out after Tim Collins came in. Collins, Aaron Crow and Louis Coleman finished the game for Kansas City, combining for 2 2/3 hitless innings.

Not that the Twins are having much success against anyone these days. They have been outscored 54-14 during their six-game slide, including an 11-2 loss on Saturday night that dropped Gardenhire's team to 9-17 in April.

Afterward, Gardenhire vented his frustration, saying it was time for the Twins to start playing the way they know how.

"We don't like to lose around here. We haven't done that very much and this can't go on," Gardenhire said Saturday, telling his team to think about starting May with a 0-0 record "and go from there."

Problem is, the Twins are now 0-1 in the new month and 0-3 on a nine-game road trip that won't get any easier with treks to Chicago and Boston.

Justin Morneau hit a solo homer off Hochevar in the sixth, while Casilla was the only Twin with more than one hit, going 2-for-3 with two triples and an RBI.

The Royals, meanwhile, swept the series on the heels of a six-game losing streak. They are 3-0 on a nine-game homestand that also includes visits from the Orioles and Athletics.

Game Notes

Mitch Maier and Billy Butler had two hits apiece for the Royals, who went 7- for-15 with runners in scoring position but also stranded seven players...The Twins were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.